Noah's Ark by Spier, Peter (2015) Library Binding

by Peter Spier

The bee and the fox, the sheep and the ox--two of each kind trudged aboard Noah's famous vessel. Peter Spier uses his own translation of a seventeenth-century Dutch poem about this most famous menagerie.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Religion, Christian, Fiction, Poetry

Unknown Binding

First published July 12, 1977

About the author

Peter Spier has established himself as one of the most gifted illustrators in this county. His Noah's Ark was the 1978 Caldecott Award winner, while The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night was a Caldecott Honor book in 1962. The firs two books in his widely acclaimed Mother Goose Library, London Bridge Is Falling Down! and To Market! To Market! were winner and runner-up respectively for the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. The Erie Canal and Noah's Ark both won Christopher Awards, while Gobble, Growl, Grunt received Honorable Mention in the first Children's Science Book Award program, sponsored by the New York Academy of Science.

Born and educated in Amsterdam, Mr. Spier came to New York in 1952 after serving in the Royal Dutch Navy and working for a number of years as a reporter for Elsevier's Weekly, Holland's largest magazine. He has illustrated over a hundred books and has contributed a series of murals to the H. F. Du Pont Winterthur Museum in Delaware.

Reviews

[Britney Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admire my pastor James Bradford and Crystal Martain!
I look up to my sis/ friend Julie Grippo!
I love the people who follow Gods word!

Without ministers, leaders, christians, friends, and authors like Peter Spier then how would the lovely bible stories just like Noah and the ark be spread? How would children learn about the promises from God to his people? Anyone who is reading this then i want to let you know that you are the voices of Jesus… While on the earth its your job to spread love and peace… Its your job to share the bible and the stories that it contains and frankly i love doing that because seeing the expression on a childs face whenever they learn something new is PRICELESS!

Noahs Ark by Peter Spier was ful of lovely illustrations teling the bible story that was told in Genesis chapters 6-9… I find the story truly incredible and such a miracle… God decided to destroy sinful men and so he made the flood it rained for forty days and forty nights and all creation was ruined except for Noah and his family also all liveing nature was boarded onto him great big ark… Has anyone ever seen the movie "Evan Almight?" thats a great movie with the same Noah and the ark concept.

Gods promise in the story was that he would never destroy all life again and that rainbow you see in the sky after every storm is Gods sign that his promise was not forgotten. Even though this book did not have many words except for a poem and a few lines of five or six words i still found it enjoyable. While typeing this review i have my bible opened and am loking back and forth to make sure i am giveing you guys the right facts haha…

This picture book was an automatic five star read! The color was beautiful and bright and the drawing really blew my mind! Remember Gods promise that he made to Noah and whenever you see a rainbow then tell yourself why it was placed in the sky and alsol remember…

We are the light of the world!
We are a city on a hill!
We are the light of the world and we gotta, we gotta let our light shine!

Spread the stories of the bible because the children of the world NEED to hear them!

My Rateing
5/5

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some humorous moments in this telling of the myth of the flooding of the world. One thing it did drive home was that after the animals got off the boat, it would be a horrible stinking mess. The smell would be horrible.

This is told so oddly. The first page is the only text and its 3 rows of simple 3 word rhymes. The rest of the book is basically wordless. it defies description. I also thought the artwork was very poor and I’m a little shocked it won the Caldecott honor position. It is such a sloppy book.

But, the kids thought it was fun and they laughed in the right places and they thought it was amazing seeing all the animals on the boat. The nephew gave this 4 stars and the niece gave it 3 stars. I did appreciate the little bits of humor.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really come to enjoy Peter Spier's books! A number of his works only have a sentence or two, although this one does begin with a poem about Noah's story on the first page, but his illustrations are so vividly full and so telling, you don't notice a lack of words.

A must look!

Ages: 2+

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[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful picture book depicting the story of Noah and the ark. There is a 17th century poem translated at the start of the book which is for the most part really fun, rhyming lists of the animals, this does end unfortunately by saying that God had to kill everything for man's sin. This is a fascinating thing to read for older children but a bit much for the younger reader. However the rest of the book which is text free is absolutely wonderful, there's so much to look at, beautiful detailed illustrations of so many animals and a lovely sense of humour. There's a scene of a mouse who's tail is trapped beneath an elephants foot and the mouse's friend is trying to free the trapped tail by trying to push the foot off. There are wonderful scenes of feeding time, exercise time and finding land at the end of the flood.

Originally read on open library, had the chance to read a paper copy today.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

REVIEW OF THE KINDLE EDITION

Yes indeed, the illustrations (their overall quality and presented descriptiveness) of Peter Spier's picture book Noah's Ark are simply and utterly outstanding. Lively, colourful and intricately detailed, Spiers' pictures are a totally enchanting visual delight and as such in my humble opinion also more than well deserving of the 1978 Caldecott Medal Noah's Ark was awarded (but yes, I do really wish I had not read Noah's Ark on my Kindle, as the artwork is rendered absolutely minuscule and I am sure I missed quite a bit of the detail, even using my strongest reading glasses). And furthermore, I also and especially appreciate that Peter Spier has depicted and featured animals now extinct in Noah's Ark, such as for example Dodo birds, as this could engender interesting discussions if children were perhaps to ask what kind of a bird that is (and for teaching, learning and just plain fun, I also do think it would be an added bonus, if there also were a list of animal and bird species encountered included at the back of Noah's Ark, as this could be used for search and find activities, for basic ecology and the like and thus much increase the educational value and potential of Noah's Ark).

But just to say and to strongly point out that as to the accompanying poem for Noah's Ark, well, I freely and strongly admit that on a personal and emotional level, I am and remain rather majorly, rather hugely conflicted. For albeit I think that for older children, Flood could perhaps be used for discussions/debates and for literacy training, I do have to wonder if younger children might not be somewhat taken aback and even made hugely angry, majorly upset (and at God Himself) by the fact that all of these innocent animals have to be destroyed due to mankind's supposed sins (and I would also be wanting to have both the English translation and Jacobus Revius' original Dutch words depicted, although I do realise that this is probably considerably and way way beyond the scope and reach of Noah's Ark).

Finally, I should mention that it was a wooden Noah's Ark toy that caused one of my first major tongue lashings I received as a child. I was (at the age of around three) playing with the animals and the ark, and then, being curious, I asked about Noah's Ark and the fact that there were only two of each of the animals. So when my mother explained the story (and she explained it like it is depicted in the Bible, like it appears in the Old Testament), I used two pretty horrid German curse words (namely Schweinehund and Arschloch) that I had just heard and memorised to describe God, and oh boy, did I ever catch it. But indeed, this did not in any way change my negative attitude and my anger at God either (and from hence on, I just kept silent about my feelings of disgust and fury regarding Noah and the Flood and God's role in all of this). So I guess I am thus wondering if other children might have similar thoughts about and reactions to Noah's Ark (with regard to Jacobus Revius's poem, to God, and perhaps also to Peter Spier's illustrations of the masses of animals standing doomed outside of the Ark when it starts to rain, since my main issue as a child was that ALL of the animals in the story of Noah and the Flood were TOTALLY, UTTERLY innocent, and therefore also did NOT AT ALL deserve to be drowned by God, that even as a three year old, I absolutely hated to see any and all types of injustice, and that other children might very well feel the same and react the same and thus could feel very uncomfortable with and even angry at Noah's Ark).

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spier’s wordless picture book is impressive in how it explores different emotions and circumstances that deal with the ark. Sadness sets in when the ark is closed up and all the animals that are unable to board must look on in despair as the waters rise. The book also conveys a strong sense of sacrifice and work ethic. Spier captures Noah’s frustration and worry in the beginning, and also his relief and gratitude at the end of the ordeal by showing how he and his family have been able to endure. The book attests to the marvel of Noah's experience, and it balances the extraordinary nature of the adventure with humorous moments and the stubbornness of certain animals, such as the rats that give Noah’s wife a scare.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Caldecott medal winner. Sparse on text, the illustrations drive this tale of Noah who found grace in the eyes of the Lord and was given the overwhelming task of ensuring two of each animal fill the large boat he needed to build.

The illustrations are incredibly detailed. What might be perceived as too busy in the hands of an unskilled artist, Spier's images fill the pages and delight the senses.

[Hannah Gies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautiful. My almost 4 year old and I really enjoyed the artwork and I appreciated that it wasn't a cartoon "happy" telling of the story of Noah. Mostly beautiful pictures, with some poignant poetry.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book. The story is wordless, but the illustrations are detailed and with a nice little touch of humor (check out the expressions, and the number of rabbits!). So many things to look at on each page.

[Robert Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't care for biblical themed story books. This one is practically wordless, letting the pictures relate the tale, and as such is fairly well done.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations. This is the perfect book for telling the story aloud to the kids.

[Book Concierge · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seventeenth-century Dutch poem by Jacobus Revius is the inspiration for this gloriously detailed picture book, which earned a Caldecott Medal. Spier translated the poem which mentions
“Cow and moose,
Hare and goose,
Sheep and ox,
Bee and fox…”
The poem, itself, is on page 1, but the story really begins on the front inside cover and flyleaf, with a two-page panoramic spread that shows destruction of a village in the distance, while Noah and his family prosper on a hillside and the words “…But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

This is followed by two more “double truck” pictorial panoramas showing the construction of the ark, while a parade of villagers streams past, and the stacks of provisions ready to be loaded aboard, before the poem is printed.

The rest of the book is entirely pictorial. And these are wonderful illustrations! I poured over them, noticing the pairs of different animals, and marveling at the minute details he included. There are even pairs of spiders, scorpions, dodos and echidnas! The big cats are carefully crated before being loaded aboard the Ark. Mrs Noah is obviously unhappy about the mice and creepy-crawlies. The animals and people left behind are slowly engulfed by the rising waters, as is the landscape.

I especially liked how Spier showed the work involved in caring for this menagerie … feeding the animals, mucking out stalls, providing water. Noah and his family members are delighted when new chicks hatch, or puppies are born, but visibly tired and worn as time passes and the rains continue. By the time the dove returns with the olive branch the people and animals are all equally relieved that their ordeal will soon be over. The elephants are first off, followed by a parade of animals and people. The slow-pokes – turtles and snails are the last to depart. The final panoramic spread, composing the back inside cover, shows the miraculous rainbow, and Noah on a hillside “…and he planted a vineyard.”

What I particularly appreciate about this richly drawn book is that it will allow children to use their imaginations to tell the story of what is happening in each panel. I don’t have any little ones in my life, but I want to go out and buy this book so I can look at the pictures again and again to my heart’s content.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this wordless interpretation of Noah’s Ark. I thought the translated Dutch poem that opened the book was a great introduction to the events of the story. Spier’s use of space on each page is the most impressive aspect of the illustrations. I love the images of the cramped interior of the ark and the lines of heavy rain as they fall. I also enjoyed the visual representations of the passage of time, both during the rainstorm, and while Noah waits for the return of the dove. I especially love the final page, where the rainbow symbolizes hope for the future, and Noah is shown planting. There is so much detail on each page that kids will literally lose themselves in this book.

[Laura (Book Scrounger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this book was good when I got to the end and felt this palpable sense of relief at that ark door finally opening up again. Spier does a great job of capturing the many different situations and experiences that we can only imagine a year+ in an ark must have led to. There is no text (except at the beginning), but the illustrations are more than capable of doing the "talking" for us. It's also more Biblically accurate (though not 100%) than many "Noah's Ark" books I've seen.

[Ashley Ainley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm a follower of Jesus and I know the story from the Bible well. I did not like how graphic this is for children. It's not exactly a children-friendly tale to begin with but its heartbreaking to see how all the non-chosen animals die. Yes, I know that's the fact of the story... I just felt it was a little too graphic.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caldecott 1978 Not many words, but strong on lots of art. A strong religious tone to start the book. A little sad seeing exactly 2 of each animal loaded while all the extras were turned away. You even see the water rising/drowning the animals who were told 'no'. You even see Noah only allow 2 bees into a hive, and shoo the others away.

You kind-of need to believe the whole story of Noah for this book to make sense, so if you are from a religion that does not know Noah, then this book will probably not connect well.

There was strong rhyming text on one page, but all the rest of the book was told completely with pictures of all the animals.

4.25*

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nearly wordless 1978 Caldecott Medal Winner relies chiefly on illustrations to tell the story of Noah and the ark he builds to survive the flood that God is sending. The incredibly-detailed illustrations show the work that went into building and then filling the ark with various species, including cows, bees, elephants, dogs, and cats. By turns heart rending and amusing, this picture book certainly affords a practical examination of the ark and its inhabitants. My heart broke as the waters rose and the ark left behind all sorts of animals who waited patiently for their chance to board the vessel. But I also smiled at the never-ending task of feeding, tending to, and shoveling the waste products of all of those animals. The passage of time is shown through Noah's delight in finding eggs in his chickens' nesting boxes--there's even a cat tucked away in one of the boxes--and then his exhaustion at all the work and the relentless rain. Clearly, some of the animals have given birth since there are no three, four or, in the case of the rabbits, even more animals. The images capture perfectly this patriarch's hope when he sends out birds in search of land and vegetation as well as the relief when all the passengers can finally disembark. One of the last illustrations with the ark, now empty of all animals but still filled with baskets and debris, effectively conveys just how close those quarters were and how refreshing it must have been to be able to set foot--or paw--on land once again. This is a splendid version of the story of Noah and the Great Flood.

[Chelsea Cameron]

Noah’s Ark was interpreted and written in a very unique way by Peter Spier. In the original story, the animals enter the ark two by two but Spier added his own creative while also more realistic twist to it. Instead of illustrating the animals going in two by two, marching in an orderly fashion, Pier had monkeys clinging on the elephant’s legs, showing that they didn’t want to walk on the ark on their own, portraying a sense of protection the monkeys felt with the elephants. The littlest of animals seemed to still pop out and show so much detail. The smallest birds pop with color and there is never a shortage of opportunity to really just observe each page because there is so much to look at. Spier took a different approach when he translated Jacobus Revius’s “The Flood”, telling the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark. In my opinion, Spier’s translated approach was amazing. It was modern, unique and had a little bit of a twist compared to the original. I feel as if kids would prefer this version. Personally, I think this book needs to be red to very young kids. I wouldn’t recommend reading it to kids passed the age of 2nd grade because they might get bored with it.

[Annie]

Genre: Wordless Narrative
Grade Level: K-2

This book is a Caldecott Award Winner. It is mainly all pictures of Noah and his ark, building it, attempting to gather all the animals and people, specifically pointing out there is two of each animal, trying to navigate the huge ark back to land, as the flood waters lowered. It is an excellent book, that is awesome for younger children.

*I would think this book might only be used in a Christian school because of its religious meaning and one page talks about trusting the Lord.
Activity 1: For an art project the children can construct their own ark, out of popsicle sticks and various supplies. They can even put animals around it. It would be a fun way for the students to see the hard work it took in building something so magnificent.

Activity 2: The students can write their own story for each page, since almost all the pages don't have words. The students can be creative in coming up with what each page would say as they write their version of the story.

[Tamera Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

1) Book summary: The story is about this man name Noah. It's a bibliocial tale with colorful illstruations. The pictures tell the story of how Noah build the ark and how no one wanted to listen to him. Noah was able to save the animals.

2) Grade level, interest level, lexile: PreK-2nd grade, ages 3-7, lexile is unknown

3) Appropriate classroom use (subject area): Language art/reading block

4) Individual students who might benefit from reading: Smaller children would benefit best from this book

5) Small group use (literary circles): This could be used for kindergarten students learning about animals or if in bible school the story behind Noah's ark

6) Whole class use (read aloud): Can use some of the term from the book or student can learn how to spell the name of the animals that was on the boat

7) Related books in genre/subject or content area: What do people do all day book

8) Multimedia connections (audio book, movie) available: Kindle, Paperback

[SamZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

1978 Caldecott Medal - Favorite Illustration: I love the joy and relief when the dove brings back the branch and Noah and his wife share a quiet moment of happiness, then the excitement as Noah runs through the ark showing all the animals the branch.
This wordless picture book is told in panel format and the detail given by Spier makes it easy to see why it won the Caldecott medal! I love all the fun little quirks given to the different animals, and the emotions as Noah lovingly cares for each one. K (6) thought that the vast quantities of poop shoveling was very funny, but loved looking at each page and seeing the animals multiply as the journey wore on! I also really enjoyed having a conversation about the rainbow (one of K's favorite things, currently) on the end page and the promise from God that it represents.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully illustrated book about the story of Noah and the flood. The narrative was brief and simple, and most of the pages have no words.

The animals are nicely detailed and we loved the depiction of how crowded and messy it was on the ark. Our girls really liked this book.

This book was selected as one of the books for the January 2016- Quarterly Caldecott discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the illustrations in this nearly wordless book. The beginning contains a poem, translated from Dutch, about Noah, his ark and the animals. Then the illustrations portray Noah and his family caring for the animals and everyone's joy when dry land is found and all can embark. I appreciate Noah's facial features...concern for the animals mixed with exasperation when things don't go smoothly. And I love seeing the animals leaving the ark...the large quantity of rabbits, the elephant's reluctance, the birds flying off. A lovely way to introduce young children to this Bible story.

[Fiona Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based on a bible story about Noah and the great flood. It dicusses how God asked Noah wo was a good man to bring two of every king of the world's creatures into a great ark before the rest of the world suffered a great flood. It is an exciting oppertunity for children to gain knowledge of religious stories and therefore has good cross-curricular incentive. The story is suitable for children aged 4-11.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this in our Caldecott unit to talk about what "detail" means in illustration, about the use of panels, and about how pictures and layout create mood. In one dramatic moment, for example, the contrast between the activity inside the ark and the complete quiet and stillness outside is conveyed through Spier's choice of layout. Wordless.

[Sarah]

This wordless book shows the Biblical story of Noah's arc through the use of pictures. This could be of help to early readers within one's classroom that have struggles reading. Even so, with the use of this book they could feel successful in being able to "read" a book, because they did it through pictures.

[Lauren]

One the one hand: uuuuuuggggggggghhhhhhhh, wordless picture books! When unprepared, they are the literal worst.

On the other hand: he did not shy away from presenting a smidge of the harder elements of the story. Death was present in small ways or alluded to in others.

In conclusion: I cannot decide if I loathed this or respect the illustrator’s chops.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wordless book illustrates Noah's Ark. It shows the animals left behind--I felt sorry for them! It also shows the village getting covered with water.
It also shows how much work it would have been to keep the ark clean and the animals fed.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the text is on one page at the beginning. It's a poem by Jacobus Revius (1586–1658), translated from the Dutch by Peter Spier. This book won a Caldecott Medal in 1978.

3.5 stars

[Lauralee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a realistic representation of life on the ark.